Question 284 of 365: When are we wedged in?

No matter how luxurious or feature-ridden, the back of a car in-between two enormous carseats is not a comfortable place to be. As you try to squeeze in the car past one set of feet, you push both of the carseats, trying to make enough room for your waist. There is no sitting back or putting on your seat belt. There is no deep breathing either because your ribcage is constructed on both sides.

You are wedged in.

Wedged in by both of your wonderful children, but wedged in just the same. It doesn’t feel good, but you know that you are doing it so that someone else can sit up front. You are making the decision to stay in the back, dealing with all of the curious things that children do to their parents in tight quarters. It isn’t a hard one for you. You jump right in because there isn’t anyplace you would rather be.

You are wedged in.

With the passion and fury of childhood. With the lack of logic and the absurd reactions of each impulse. With the flailing arms and dancing hands. The time stretches on and you keep eying the mile markers with anticipation, although you really have no idea what marks the end. You are asked to make contortions moves to get food and dole it out. You are asked to get things that drop to the ground so repeatedly that you aren’t sure if there is a time that your aren’t hunched over and stretching out your fingers.

You are wedged in.

But, you know it isn’t forever. You know that at some point you will be free and your breath will be less shallow. You will be able to stand up and stretch out, seeing just how tall you are. And at some point in the not too distant future you will be able to see how tall your children are too. They will be standing next to you, outside staring up at the sunshine and looking out at the future ahead of them.

Some day you will be like my mom and dad are today with each of their three children happily married to amazing women. Today my parents know what it is like to become unwedged. With any luck and persistence, I will know this truth someday too.